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B. T. BABBITT.

APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING VBSSELS.

,932. Patented Oct. 30, 1888.

N, PEYERS, 'Pm'm-mm m mr. Washington, n c.

we STATES arena trio.

BENJAMIN T. BABBITT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING VESSELS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 391,932, dated Dotober 30, 1888.

Application filed March 24, 1886. Serial No. 106.3 H. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN T. Bannrr'r, of the city and county of New York, in the State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for Pro pelling Vessels, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of pro polling apparatus for vessels which comprises passages extending lengthwise ofthc vessel, and a propelling-wheel by the operation of which water will be drawn in through one of these passages and discharged rearward through the other of these passages in order to propel the vessel by the force of reaction.

In carrying out my invention I provide, in combination with the hull of a vessel, passages which extend lengthwise thereof and are arranged out of line with each other and lapping one on another, and which communicate by a circular aperture or throat, and in this circular aperture or throat I arrange the pro pelling-whcel,having its axis transverse to the vessel and rotating in a plane between the lapping passages, and by the operation of which water is drawn in through one of the passages from a direction toward the bow of the vessel and is discharged through the other of said passages in a direction toward the stern of the vessehso to cause the vessel to move ahead. By reversing the direction of rotation of the propeller-wheel the flow of water through the passages may be reversed and the vessel will be hacked. I prefer to arrange corresponding passages on opposite sides of the center of the vessel in connection with two propeller-whcels, and the engineer engines which operate these propeller-wheels is or are arranged between .these passages, as hereinafter described, and

pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents the bottom of a vessel to which my invention is applied. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of one end portion of the vessel, illustrating my invention upon a larger scale. Fig. 3 is an inverted plan of the bottom of one end portion, partly in horizontal section and upon the same scale as Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a transverse section upon the plane of the dotted line .r m, Fig. 8, and also upon the same scale.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures.

another, as best shown in Fig. 3.

In the hull of the vessel are provided passages A and B, which extend lengthwise of the vessel and are out of line or offsetone from The passages A B, however, lap one on anotherat their adjacent ends and communicate wlth each other at their points of lapping by a circular aperture or throat, C, as also best shown in Fig. 3. In the circular aperture or throat G is arranged a propeller-wheel, D, and by the rotary movement of this wheel water will be drawn in through one of the passages and discharged through the other of the passages in a direction lengthwise of the vessel, and will by the force of reaction cause the vessel to move ahead.

I have indicated by arrows in Fig. 3 the direction of the flow of. water through the passages A B when the wheel 1) is turned in one direction, and by reversing the rotary motion of the wheel the flow of water through said passages will also be reversed. It will be observed that this wheel is not in line with either passage A or B, but rotates in a plane between the two passages and in the short throat or circular aperture 0.

I prefer to arrange a similar system of passages A B on opposite sides of the center line of the vessel, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, so that the throats or apertures 0 between the passages of each pair will beiu line transversely of the vessel, and so that the shafts D of the two propeller-wheels D will also be in line, as shown in Fig. at. In this arrangement the engine or engines for operating the two propeller-wheels D will be arranged between the passages A A, as shown in Fig. 4, and I may provide a separate rotary englne, D for operating each propeller-wheel D, as here shown. This arrangement oi machinery will be very compact and will be entirely below the water-line, so as to be out of reach of secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with the hull of a vessel, of passages A B, extending lengthwlse thereof and arranged out of line with each IOO other, but lapping one on another and communicating by a circular aperture or throat,

.O, and a propeller-wheel, D, having its axis 7 transverse to the vessel and working in the aperture or throat, the plane of rotation of the wheel being out of line with each passage and between the two passages, substantially as herein described.

2. The combination, with the hull of a vessel, of passages A on opposite sides of the center and extending in one direction lengthwise of the vessel, other passages, B, extending in the opposite direction and arranged out of line with but lapping on the passages A, and communicating with the passages Aby circu- I 5 lar apertures orthroats O, propeller-Wheels D, having their axes transverse to the vessel and working in said apertures or throats, and an engine or engines arranged between said passages A for operating the propeller-wheels, 20 substantially as herein described.

B. T. BABBITT.

Witnesses:

FREDK. HAYNLs, HENRY MoBRIDn. 

